


Full Circle

by lil_1337



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-10-06
Updated: 2008-10-06
Packaged: 2017-11-06 23:32:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/424429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which the author pulls a Sam Beckett and rights what was once wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Full Circle

Mickey sighed and sipped his coffee, staring out the window of the crowded shop. Being back in his old universe was disconcerting and comforting at the same time. The lack of zeppelins startled him at the strangest times, but he was getting used to uncrowded skies once again. It was funny that it was the small things that jarred him. Like walking into a coffee shop and ordering Preachers Dark Roast only to be told they didn't have anything by that name. It had taken him a moment before he remembered that his favorite brew wasn't available in this universe. Really, in the grand scheme of life it was such an irrelevant detail and yet it had hit like it was the death of his best friend.

Or the marriage of said friend. The one that he realized he had feelings for much too late. It was such a sad cliché, but then that was the story of his life. Getting over one unobtainable blonde by falling for another. It would be funny if it didn't make him feel so damn pathetic. He tried to be the bigger man and while he genuinely wanted the people he cared for to be happy it would just be nice if one of them had been so with him. All of that was in the past now and Mickey had been looking forward, not back, when he walked away this time.

He'd kicked around London for a while visiting old mates and spending some time with Martha and her fiancé Tom before taking Sarah Jane up on her offer to come visit her and meet Luke. Now, almost a month later, he was sitting in a shop in Cardiff pondering the events of his last visit to this coastal town and wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his life. Maybe he was suffering from a massive case of universe lag, because he had a seemingly endless case of restlessness and cranky which no amount of good food and good company was making a dent in.

When he had made the transition to Pete's world things were in flux. There was a war going on with the Cybermen and everyone was learning to adjust and deal with the changes being wrought, not just him. But coming home he had no mission to focus on, nothing to occupy his time while he made the transition to being back. Both Martha and Sarah Jane had tried to help having gone through the same thing when they returned from their travels with The Doctor, but they were both busy with their own lives. Sadly, the person he had connected with the most was Luke who was having his own struggles learning how he fit in the world. Mickey might admire Sarah Jane's adopted son, but he was a little too old to be hanging out with the kiddies and reliving his identity crisis from his teen years.

That brought him here, to Cardiff, to visit Jack and check out what Torchwood was all about. Mickey had certainly enjoyed meeting Jack's team though their easy comfort with each other set off that desire to find his place yet again. More than that though it was way that he caught Ianto looking at him, as if Mickey had been stripped of his skin and his soul laid bare for the viewing. It left him feeling vulnerable and raw, something Mickey had had more than his share of recently. The compassion and understanding that shone clear in Ianto's eyes only made it worse, especially when he turned to Jack and it all melted away into something soft and gentle.

The jingle of bell on the door jarred Mickey back from the unhappy path his thoughts were pacing, but he didn't bother to look at the new arrivals. The only people he knew in Cardiff were off on an alien hunt, chasing down whatever had fallen through the rift leaving a trail of slime across several downtown office buildings. Besides, he'd purposely picked a place that was nowhere near the Torchwood Three Hub so he could have some time alone with his thoughts.

For better or worse the moment was broken now and Mickey's gaze shifted from the thunderclouds rolling in over the bay to the ceramic mug in his hand. Circling his wrist he watched as the miniature waves crashed into the sides threatening to slop over the top. There was the sound of chairs being pulled out and food settled on the tabletop, which blended into the low conversation and noises of eating that filled the shop. Mickey was just beginning to slide back into his earlier morose contemplation of his life when he heard the laugh, the one that had a direct line from his ears to his crotch. Fingers tightening on the mug he took another drink to distract himself from the way his heart was pounding in response to such a simple sound.

The idea that there might be a Jake in this universe was something that Mickey had been forcing himself not to think about since he'd knocked fists with The Doctor before running off to catch up with Jack and Martha. He'd forced it away more times than he was willing to admit. Even if the man existed, and there was no guarantee he did, he deserved more than to have some stranger turn up and start mucking things around. It was easier not to know and much safer for everyone involved. Turning around and looking was too much like giving into temptation. That way lay desire for something he would never have and took him back into the past instead forward towards the new life he was supposed to be making for himself.

A moment of stillness fell over the shop as the conversations hushed all at once as if by some unseen signal and Mickey heard the laugh again. This time it tagged a closer target, wrapping around his heart and squeezing until the pain became a physical presence in the room. Choking down the last of his now cold coffee Mickey set the mug down unsteadily, pushing himself away from the table. He needed to get out and get some air, maybe go back to his hotel and lay down for a while. All this thinking was doing his head in. Keeping his gaze firmly fixed on his boots he headed for the door.

"Hey, mate, you alright?"

Mickey's head came up with a jerk, twitching at the strong hand that settled lightly on his shoulder. For a the space of a single breath the world shuddered to a halt then started to move again as the threads of reality wove themselves back together in a pattern that wrapped itself around Mickey like a warm blanket on a cold winter evening. Clearing his throat, Mickey swallowed then nodded slowly, finding his voice had escaped him.

"I'll spot you a cuppa." The man smiled at Mickey then stuck out his hand. "Name's Jake. Jake Simmonds."

"Mickey." Mickey's voice cracked and he cleared his throat again, hearing it come back clear and strong in his ears. "Mickey Smith. I reckon I have time for one before I have to go seeing as how you offered to pay." The pain in his chest eased and Mickey took a deep breath, then another, feeling like he had finally found his way home.


End file.
